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Disability Working Group10 Nov 15

Events to Recognise Voluntary Carers in Derry and Raphoe

Revd Malcolm Ferry and Mrs Carol Ferry.

As a new initiative to recognise the work of voluntary carers who
care for loved ones at home, the Derry and Raphoe Board of Social
Responsibility will be running two special evening events next spring.
The events will be organised to accommodate both Derry and Raphoe.

Each
evening will include an act of worship and hospitality giving time and
space for those who attend an opportunity to swap stories, share
experiences and support one another. The format will be flexible and
designed to be as helpful and supportive as possible. It will also be
an opportunity for parishes to support their carers who attend by
volunteering practical support where possible and appropriate.

Board
member Revd Malcolm Ferry (rector of St Augustine’s Church in
Londonderry) relates to this first hand. Malcolm’s wife, Carol, was
diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease at the age of 38 when
their three children were still at primary school.

Drawing on
their experience of daily living with a progressive illness, which can
be debilitating at times, they want other families to know that they are
not alone and to encourage them to be positive and share the many
blessings life can bring.

“Sometimes we see the wheelchair
and the person in it but we don’t see the person pushing it,” Mr Ferry
explains. “There are also a lot of ‘hidden disabilities’ such as mental
illness or dyslexia and therefore ‘hidden carers’ are commonplace in
our churches. In the current climate, where more and more resources are
being taken away from carers and respite care is less and less
available, we are seeking to support voluntary carers in a small way.”

The
initiative is also a call for churches to increase their understanding
of the wide range of disabilities across society and to support those
loved ones who care 365 days of the year. The Church of Ireland
designates the third Sunday in November as ‘Disability Awareness
Sunday’. Some useful resources are available at www.ireland.anglican.org/news/category/19

This new initiative is an extension of this work and it is hoped that others may learn from this approach in Derry and Raphoe.

This article was first published in the Church of Ireland Gazette.

For further information please contact:

Church of Ireland Press Office Church of Ireland House 61–67 Donegall Street Belfast, BT1 2QH